Drivers have been warned to keep their eyes on the road during Friday morning's solar eclipse, which will take place in the morning rush hour.
Unlike the 1999 eclipse, this one won't involve the sun being completely blotted out from anywhere in the UK. Depending on where you are between 84 percent (in London) and 97 percent (in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles) of the sun's disc will be covered.
That's enough to reduce the light level, at a time of day when there will be lots of people on the roads. It sounds like a good day to ride to work a bit earlier or a bit later and avoid yet another excuse for drivers not to see you.
In London the eclipse starts at 8.24am, reaches its maximum extent at 9.31am, and ends at 10.41am. In Edinburgh, the eclipse starts at 8.30am and peaks at 9.35 am.
Experts from the Royal Astronomical Society and the Society for Popular Astronomy, said: "Unlike every other eclipse of any size, this one takes place right in the middle of the rush hour. It's not the best time from a safety point of view."
The Highways Agency is therefore warning people to drive carefully.
"Safety is a top priority. As always, we advise road users to drive carefully, adjusting their driving according to weather and road conditions and during the eclipse we’d ask them to do the same,” said a Highways Agency spokesperson.
The good old British weather might mean the eclipse won't be visible anyway.
Helen Roberts of the Met Office told the Bristol Post that it was too early to say for sure, but it is very unlikely the phenomenon will be visible.
She said: "In forecasting terms it is still quite far ahead.
"But what we can say at the moment is it looks like the whole of the UK will by under some cloud cover.
"There are likely to be breaks in the cloud, but it is really difficult to say where these will be at this point in time."

8 thoughts on “Drivers warned to take care during Friday’s eclipse”
The Highways Agency would
The Highways Agency would also like to point out that it believes that there might be reduced light levels between sunset and sunrise. It is asking drivers to be especially careful between these hours and, if possible, fix some sort of light, or lights, to their vehicle.
Complete and utter
Complete and utter bollocks.
This is a partial solar eclipse. You will be completely unaware of the eclipse. A cloud passing in front of the Sun will have an effect many magnitudes greater.
This is a complete non-story other than to warn you that the lawyers will be using it as an excuse for there motorist clients.
levermonkey wrote:Complete
Complete and utter bollocks. Even a partial eclipse can make it noticeably dark if enough of the sun is obscured (well, obviously). Yes, thick thunderclouds may also have the same effect but to say you’d be unaware of it happening is not correct.
Rest of world: ‘Ooh look, an
Rest of world: ‘Ooh look, an eclipse — that’s quite interesting.’
Cyclists: ‘We’re all doomed!’
🙂
Utter bollocks. A complete
Utter bollocks. A complete non-story.
Sorry, the sun wasnt in my
Sorry, the sun wasnt in my eyes?
My Gran’ would hide under the
My Gran’ would hide under the stairs in a thunderstorm; it’s a good job she isn’t here to witness this trauma.
Well Gizmo,
Was the world
Well Gizmo,
Was the world plunged into darkness?
Did the River Thames flow backwards?
Were the Four Horsemen seen galloping up Camden High Street?
Was there a tofu riot in Islington?
No because unless you are in the path of totality you wouldn’t notice a thing. The original story and your comment were and are complete and utter bollocks. Your apology is accepted!